Spreader for reins



(No Model.)

J. H. & F. s. PEW; SPREADER FOR REINS.

Patented July 12, 1892;

EASYPew.

NITED I STATES PATENT OFFIC JAMES H. PEW AND FREDERICK S. PEW, OF ANDOVER, SOUTH DAKOTA.

SPREADER FOR REIN S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,712, dated July 12, 1892.

Application filed January 2, 1892. Serial No. 416,851. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES H. Paw and FREDERICK S. PEW, citizens of the United States, residing at Andover, in the county of Day and State of South Dakota, have in vented anew and useful Spreader for Reins, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in spreaders for reins employed in double harnesses; and the objects in view are to provide a cheap and simple device adapted to be connected with the eye of the inner section of a hame and to automatically tend to spread and take up slack in the reins, thus obviating any liability of their engaging with the pole or yoke, while at the same time adapted to yield sufficiently to permit the reins to give a direct pull upon the bits when occasion requires and permit the animals to have proper and free movement of their heads.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of a portion of a double harness provided with spreaders constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a detail in longitudinal section of the spreader.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a pair of opposite collars, upon which are mounted the usual hame-sections 2, the inner sections of each pair being provided with staples or eyes 4. Heretofore it has been customary to connect with these staples or eyes leather loops, and in the outer or free ends of the loops connect rings through which the inner branches of the reins pass. To such staples or eyes are our spreaders connected; and our invention resides in the construction of these spreaders, the before-mentioned objects existing therein.

Upon each of a pair of leather-straps 7 a coiled spring 11 is mounted, the ends or terminals of the coil being engaged with the loops 8 and 9, formed at the ends of the strap. The strap is somewhat longer than the spring and permits of an expansion of the latter only to a limited degree, after which the strain is borne by the strap and removed from the spring. Ordinarily, however, the spring remains contracted and the strap consequently slackened within the same. The inner end or loop 9 of the strap is connected to a ring 10, and the same is loosely connected or engaged to the staple or eye 4. The outer end of each strap, however, or rather its loop 8, passes through a slot formed in the inner end of a sheet-metal clip 5. The outer end of each clip is bent upon itself to embrace the inner branch of one of a pair of reins and is se curely connected thereto by means of a rivet 6, passed through the clip in the center of the 12 designates the reins, or rather the inner branches thereof, and each passes through and is embraced by a metal clip 5, which, as before stated, is suspended at the free end of one of the spreaders thus constructed.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that in operation the springs contracting will serve to support the inner branches of the reins in close relation with the collars,

and when draftis applied to the reins the springs will yield, and thus expand the devices in orderto permit of a more direct pull to the bits, whereby the strength exerted is more directly applied than heretofore, where nonyielding spreaders are employed. By means of the yielding spreaders those portions of the innerbranches of the reins in front of the collars are maintained taut or supported sufficiently to prevent the same from sagging ceiving clip at the outer end of the strap, and 5 IOO than the spring locatedtherein and terminat- In testimony that We claim the foregoing as ing at its opposite ends in loops to which the ourown we have hereto aifixed our signatures 1o terminals of the spring are connected, a ring in the presence of two wltnesses.

loosely connected to the inner loop, and a JAMES H. PEW. 5 metal clip perforated to engage with the outer FRED. S. PEW.

100p and adapted for connection with the Witnesses:

inner branch of the rein, substantially as JENNIE M. PEW,

specified. ALICE SUTHERLAND. 

